Examining Mental Health Support Preparedness Among PK-12 Faculty and Staff Across Roles and School Contexts Through a Research-Practice Partnership

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 8:00 am Four Seasons Ballroom 4
  In Roundtable Session: Supporting Social Emotional and Behavioral Needs of Students and Educators (Table 1)

Abstract

This study explored the mental health support preparedness (MHSP) of 1,220 PK-12 faculty and staff across three school districts participating in a mid-Atlantic research-practice partnership (RPP). The survey focused on participants' mental health knowledge, training and confidence, perceptions of multi-tiered systems of support for mental health, perceptions of positive mental health culture and supportive policies and practices in their schools, and perceived responsibility and impact related to student mental health support. Analyses of how MHSP varied by participants' backgrounds, roles, and school contexts revealed that teachers tended to have significantly lower MHSP and that MHSP was particularly low in schools with higher percentages of English language learner students. Implications for policy, practice, and research (particularly within RPPs) are discussed.

Authors

• David Bryant Naff, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Chin-Chih Chen, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Margaret K. Powers, Washington University in St. Louis

• Jennifer Murphy, University of Texas - Arlington

• Kade Goldin, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Sunny Shin, Virginia Commonwealth University

• Xun Liu, Virginia Commonwealth University